MINUTES OF WFPU MEETINGS

1 Introductions

Representating 6 countries were: 16 users from Japan, 3 from New Zealand, 2 from Britain, 3 from USA, 1 from Holland, 1 from Sweden.

2 WFPU Report

WFPU was formed at the Mexico Congress in 1991. Only three people from the first WFPU committee were able to be in Japan due to funding problems.

Mary O'Hagan, chairperson reported:

• Over 400 members from 16 countries are on the database listing.
• Two issues of WFPU News have been produced. The first issue has just been translated into Japaese and the 2nd issue arrrived too late for it to be translated in time for the Congress.
• The draft by-laws are ready for discussion.
• Approximately $US 500 is in the bank, collected from subscriptions.
• She has spoken at several international conferences and has links with the Disabled Persons International (a cross-disability organisation).

Paolo del Vecchio, vice-chair reported:

• He addressed a United Nations conference in May 1993. Over 200 people from groups around the world looked at user movement issues. He gave remarks from other groups who could not attend the conference.
• Paolo has had little success in fundraising and made contact with 30 private foundations for funds and the applications were rejected by all.

Masiji Koganazawa, Japanese committee member reported:

• After WFPU formed in 1991 he established a Japan WFPU network.
• Masiji also was one the organising committee for WFMH 93 user sub-theme.

3 Who can attend WFPU meetings

It was agreed that only users be present at WFPU meeetings.

1 Secure Hospitals in Japan

Mari Yamamoto and Moeho Ohno highlighted this issue and distributed a paper on it. WFPU will give any support it can if approached with a specific proposal.

2 Execution of Mentally Disabled People

A Japanese user was executed in March and others are due for execution. WFPU has already written a letter to the Japanese Minister of Health protesting at the execution and has put a notice in WFPU News 2 asking members to do the same. WFPU will give any further support it can to be campaign if approached with a specific proposal.

3 Conditions in Mexican Hospitals

Azul Landeros of Mexico brought some photos of the degrading conditions in a Mexican psychiatric hospital which were shown to members present. The chair called for suggestions on how this issue could be dealt with. WFPU could write a letter of protest. The psychiatric hospital in Leros (Greece) improved after international media attention and it was suggested that the hospital conditions in Mexico need international media attention to stimulate improvements.

4 Selection of users to go to World Congress

Letters querying the selection of users have been received from Jan Kuypers (Belgium) and Esperanza Isaac (USA). Mary O'Hagan said she had been approached by the Congress organisers to name 8 users to be funded to go to the Congress. Due to lack of time and lack of a collective decision making mechanism she selected the users unilaterally. She asked for suggestions from the meeting as to how users should be selected for future Congresses (if funded places were made available).

The consensus was that a collective decision would be desirable in the future and that a process needs to be set up for this.

1 New Name for WFPU

The meeting decided that further consultation with users throughout the world before the 1995 Congress, is needed to determine if there should be a new name.

2 Draft By-laws

The meeting decided that further consultation with users throughout the world before the 1995 Congress, before the By-laws are finalised.

3 A working structure for WFPU?

WFPU needs to develop a structure to ensure that we will communicate with each other and that tasks will get done.

Rene Van der Male (Netherlands) described the European Network as a possible model for WFPU:

The network was founded in October 1991 consisting of European users and ex-users of the mental health system. Thirty nine delegates from sixteen countries spend 3 days in a large discussion group.

Five main tasks were established and delegated to each country. One person from each country was team leader for their country's task. Every six months the team leaders meet to check progress of all work tasks.

The European network has no chairperson or president.

After a discussion about structure the meeting decided to split the work into main task areas as with the Euroopean network but to retain a chairperson.

The following proposal for the organisation of the work of WFPU was adopted.

(Note - there is a drawing of the strucutre which I will try to get and convert and include here. SC 7/99)

1 Structure

2 Tasks

Each working group will be responsible for particular tasks:

1. Newsletter and Administration (including organisational development)
2. Finance
3. Political Action
4. "Third World' user support

3 Selection of chairperson and working groups

Chairperson

• elected at biennial WFPU meeting
• must be nominated by a member from another country
• each country chooses one nominee
• each country's choice counts as one vote

Working Group Co-ordinators

• any WFPU member can nominate themselves to co-ordinate any particular working group
• working group co-ordinators are approved at the Biennial meeting

Working Group Members

• recruited by working group convenor

4 Roles and Relationships

Coordination Group

• made up of Chairperson/s and Working Group coordinators
• approve working group plans
• check progress of working groups
• organise biennial WFPU meetings
• initiate and allocate additional tasks
• make other dcisions as necessary between biennial meetings

Working Groups

• carry out tasks of working group
• act as representative for region in Coordination group

Coordinator

• convene coordination group meetings
• collect and distribute information to coordination group members

Working Group Co-ordinators

• link between
• survivors in region
• working group members
• coordinator & coordination group

5 Accountability/Support

• Working group Plans (93-95) to Coordination Group by end November 1993
• Working group Reports ( six monthly) to Coordination Group by:
  • end May 1994
  • end Nov 1994
  • end May 1995

6 Meetings

Working Groups

• make own arrangements

Coordination Group

• six monthly meetings by fax, bulletin board, teleconference - one month after plan and report deadlines
• special meetings may be called by anyone in Coordination group

7 Issues of concern re structure

• the need to ensure working group convenors had checks and balances on their power
• the need to translate information into languages other than English.

The Coordination group will consider these issues.

8 Election of Chairs

The meeting agreed with a proposal to have two chairpersons (Co-chairs) instead of one chairperson and a vice chairperson.

Mary O'Hagan and Paolo del Vecchio were the only members nominated for Co-chair and were both elected to this position.